Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Drainage disaster?

Hello,

Well as I spend countless hours pouring over my potential pond site, day dreaming of endless enjoyment, reality reaches up and smacks me. My pondable area is pinched between a property line and a drainage swale. The upper part is a small 1' stream that drains a hay field. The stream then goes underground flowing through giant granite boulders for about 40', then dumps into a pretty large cut that feeds a 6' seasonal creek.

The part that "goes underground" still has dirt covering most of the boulders, but you can poke a stick through and see flowing water about 2' down.

So to finally get to my point, could a person put a layer of rip rap over those boulders and cover with a layer of soil? I also want to slightly alter the direction of that drainage with elevated soil and rip rap. I am trying to regain some real estate that would basically serve as a informal sitting area of loose flagstones.

Am I flirting with disaster?

Joe

A bump and an opinion.

I think it likely that as water continued to flow through the boulders, they would occasionally shift, thus making a poor foundation for anything placed on top of them.

Not sure I really understand but can't see a disaster regarding a sitting area. Riprap, good soil, and grass ought to work out ok. Mom Nature hasn't washed it out up to now so I think you ought to be OK.

BTW, I love to see others try things that don't cost me any $.

+1, I love friend funded experiments.

I fear and respect water's power to do whatever she wants to. I need to have a serious sit down with my dirt guy for a realistic solution that doesn't create a need for an unrealistic solution.

Joe

Joe, I might get opinions from several dirt guys.

Won't the water flow on top of everything during rain events (floods)?

We've had a pretty severe winter for our part of the world and the best I could tell the water still drops off into this honeycomb of boulders. That said, your point is what is bugging me...how to cover the boulders and still have an efficent way for the water to find it's way down vs above.

Maybe if I cleared the dirt away from the top of the boulders, covered with rip rap that was continous with the rip rap from the above ground part.

I don't know, it's late and I've been at work for 15 hours so far today.

Joe